Minnie Merriman, 9, died after she was found seriously injured an an industrial estate in the Angus town earlier this month.

Mourners gathered in Arbroath to pay tribute to tragic schoolgirl Minnie Merriman as she made her “final journey” through Scotland.

The nine-year-old died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee on August 3 after being found seriously injured at Elliot Industrial Estate in the town. She had been camping with her family, from West Yorkshire, in the area at the time. Three other family members were also taken to hospital.

Her dad Christopher Rice, 35, remains in custody after appearing at Forfar Sheriff Court charged with murder.

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Members of the community in Arbroath were asked to line the streets as a private ambulance carrying the schoolgirl and her family travelled from Dundee to Victoria Park in the Angus town on Monday afternoon.

Locals organised a piper to play during the procession and bikers tailed the motor.

Hundreds gathered to remember the schoolgirl at the beauty spot. Floral tributes, balloons and teddy bears were left outside of the ambulance.

Her devastated mum Laurie, who was surrounded by family members, stopped to read the tributes.

The family will make their way from Scotland to their home in Yorkshire to hold a private funeral service.

A family friend said: They said: “Minnie will be leaving Scotland and beginning her journey home to Yorkshire.

“Bringing her home is an important step as Laurie and the family prepare to give Minnie the send off she truly deserves. Minnie’s funeral will be a celebration of her life, honouring her personality, her joy, and the special moments that made her so unforgettable.

“We are so deeply grateful for the kindness shown so far.”

A GoFundMe to help provide financial support for her funeral has raised more than £7,000.

A statement from the fundraiser reads: “All donations will first go towards giving Minnie the very best possible funeral and farewell. A dignified goodbye that reflects just how deeply she was loved, without adding financial pressure to the family.

“Minnie’s funeral will be a celebration of her life, honouring her personality, her joy, and the special moments that made her so unforgettable.

“Once funeral costs are covered, any remaining funds will go directly to Laurie and the boys to help them through the difficult months ahead as they try to rebuild their lives.”

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Laurie Merriman, Minnie’s mum, paid tribute to her “first true love” in a heart-breaking message the week after her daughter’s death.

She wrote: “You have always and will continue being my strength, we are connected eternally, I have never felt a love so deep and a connection so strong. My first true love, my twin, I am connected to you in life and in death, and my girl that cannot be broken, I will fight to stay strong for your little brothers.

“I will hold my head high, knowing you will always be holding my hand for the rest of my life. I will see you again, that I know for sure. I love you eternally.”

In another tribute, headteacher of Hendal Primary School in Wakefield, Kelly Ashton, described her as a “kind and thoughtful girl”.

Arbroath FC also paid a touching tribute in Minnie’s memory. The club held a minute’s silence for Minnie prior to their Scottish Championship fixture against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Over 1,300 fans in attendance at Gayfield Park, just one mile from where the youngster was discovered, paid their respects.

Her aunt, Chloe Merriman, was touched by the gesture. Writing on Facebook, she said: “We really appreciate this as a family. My sister is overwhelmed with the kindness and love from Arbroath.”

Police Scotland confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in connection with Minnie’s death.

Days after her death, it emerged NHS Tayside was investigating a potential data breach after her health records were allegedly accessed by a member of staff without permission or a clinical need. The health board confirmed an internal investigation had been launched.

Many of us see coffee as a caffeine fix, whether it’s first thing in the morning or during the 3pm slump.

But as a new study shows, not all drinks are created equal, and the level of buzz you’ll be left with can vary wildly depending on where you order.

Consumer watchdog Which? analysed the caffeine content across chains including Caffè Nero, Costa, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, and Greggs.

According to the research, Costa was top of the list, with a medium sized capuccino — which features a mixture of espresso, hot milk, and thick foam on the top — containing 325 milligrams.

For context, that’s the same amount of caffeine as four cans of Red Bull,or almost three-and-a-half times the 89mg found in the same beverage from Starbucks.

Meanwhile, Greggs’ and Caffè Nero’s options featured 235mg and 221mg of caffeine, placing them second and third respectively.

If you order an espresso, you might expect a strong hit of caffeine. Arguably, that’s the whole point, right?

But at Costa, you’re looking at 100mg of the stuff, which again, makes it the most caffeine-heavy shot served by all UK chains. And when it comes to the flat white, a short drink made with three slightly smaller ‘cortissimo’ shots, the 241mg is enough to give you the shakes just thinking about it.

By contrast, Starbucks’ espresso features 45mg, while the 89mg of caffeine in its flat white is almost three times lower than the Costa equivalent.

The last time Which? carried out a study of this type was 2023, and since then, Caffè Nero appears to have seriously embraced the buzz, with its cappuccino now containing double the previous amount, at 160mg.

In terms of why this is the case, it all depends on the type of bean that’s used, as well as the roasting style, method of brewing, and of course, the cup size.

According to the Caffeine Informer website, a standard espresso contains 80mg, while a latte and an Americano both also have 160mg.

So if you’re actively looking to reduce your caffeine intake, then Starbucks is your best bet, as the chain generally serves the least amount in its drinks. However, over the last three years, levels have slightly increased.

It’s also important to keep in mind that while matcha is often touted as a gentler alternative to coffee, it’s not completely caffeine-free.

In the Which? study, Costa’s hot matcha latte came out with the highest amount at 99mg, while Starbucks measured up at 57mg and Pret 28mg.

Metro has contacted both Costa and Starbucks for comment.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk

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Ten years ago, a divorced father and his young daughter boarded a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan. But before they reached their destination, most of South Korea had been overrun by zombies.

This simple premise turned director Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan into one of the most successful Korean films of its generation. Following its premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, it went on to draw more than 11.5 million viewers in South Korea and broke box-office records for Korean films in several Asian markets.

The film is now returning to cinemas in a new 4K restoration for its tenth anniversary. However, this new version arrives in a world where Korean films and television shows occupy a very different cultural position from that of 2016. The genre-bending film Parasite won best picture (and a slew of other awards) at the 2020 Oscars, the hit TV drama Squid Game has become an international phenomenon, and Korean actors are increasingly familiar to audiences far beyond Asia.

Looking back from 2026, Train to Busan was an important stage in that transformation. It showed that Korean commercial film could attract global attention, while also depicting important social concerns and storytelling traditions coming from the film’s Korean context.

A society in crisis

The film follows Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a successful fund manager, taking his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) to visit her mother in Busan. Their train has barely pulled out from Seoul Station when a woman on the train infected with a zombie contagion begins to attack other passengers.

The train gathers a cross-section of South Korean society into one confined space. Its passengers include a pregnant woman and her husband, school pupils, elderly sisters, railway employees, a homeless man and a wealthy transport executive. The train is also a key character in the film, with its narrow corridors and automatic doors turning every movement between carriages into a tactical challenge.

As the infection spreads, social position offers little protection. Instead, each person’s character is measured by how they respond to the vulnerability of others. The executive, Yong-suk, tries to persuade other passengers to exclude people who have fought their way to apparent safety and his selfishness quickly spreads to others.

The main character, Seok-woo, initially shares this instinct. He tells his daughter, Su-an, to look after herself and uses his personal contacts to seek protection only for him and his daughter. But Su-an’s actions challenge this choice. Her concern for strangers draws her father towards a different understanding of responsibility. She shows that those who cooperate with each other create possibilities for survival, while those who treat others as expendable jeopardise their own safety.

Institutional Failure

Train to Busan also explores themes beyond individual behaviour. As panic rises among the passengers, government announcements and television reports describe the disaster vaguely as violent unrest, offering little useful information. A supposedly secure military presence at Daejeon Station is shown as being overrun with marauding zombies.

These images were especially poignant in South Korea in 2016, as two years earlier, over 300 people, including 250 pupils from a single secondary school, had died in the Sewol ferry disaster. Investigations into the incident exposed regulatory failures, poor emergency management and misleading official communication.

The national trauma surrounding the disaster persisted. In the years that followed, popular culture repeatedly returned to the fate of people failed by institutions that were supposed to protect them.

The government’s response to the Sewol disaster contributed to a wider loss of public trust in the then president, Park Geun-hye. In late 2016, millions joined candlelight protests against Park, leading to her impeachment over a corruption scandal. Although Train to Busan came before the largest demonstrations, its scepticism towards corporate and political authority reflected the public discontent of the time.

Before Parasite and Squid Game

Before making Train to Busan, Yeon Sang-ho was already known for dark animated films. Films such as The King of Pigs and The Fake examined bullying, poverty and religious exploitation. Train to Busan, his first live-action feature, continued to combine social criticism with Korean melodrama. It marked his move into blockbuster filmmaking and brought his concerns into a much larger commercial production.

Korean cinema already had a strong international reputation by 2016. Directors such as Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook had spent more than a decade attracting film festival audiences and critics through films including Oldboy, Memories of Murder, and The Host.

Train to Busan moved beyond those established audiences to a wider market via the familiar zombie genre. Its action crossed language boundaries and its emotional stakes were widely understandable, but the institutions, social conflicts and family relationships were firmly rooted in the South Korean experience.

This ability to work through recognisable genres would become central to the global success of Korean screen culture. The film Parasite used thriller and black comedy to examine class inequality, and the TV series Squid Game turned children’s games into a story about debt, desperation and brutal competition. Like Train to Busan, both explored pressures experienced within contemporary South Korea in ways that international audiences could understand.

Yeon has argued that this international success developed over many years, as Korean creators gradually built credibility with global audiences, with Train to Busan helping to extend that credibility from film festival cinema to mass entertainment. Ten years on, the film retains its compelling message of human behaviour in the midst of societal challenge, at the same time as Korean screen culture continues to ascend in its commercial influence.

By JOE ROSSITER, REPORTER

Published: 11:43 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 17:06 BST, 24 August 2026

A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after around 140 cars were destroyed in a fire near Gatwick Airport.

Police and fire crew were called to the ‘significant and complex’ fire in Caldyne Business Park in Rowfant, near Crawley, West Sussex, at 8.56pm on Saturday.

It is understood the car park is used mainly for travellers going to Gatwick, though the airport does not operate it.

Huge flames and thick smoke were pictured on Saturday night before a 67-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson.

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He was bailed as an investigation continued, Sussex Police said. 

Eight fire engines and two water carriers brought the blaze under control overnight as more than 2,000 homes had their power cut after the fire damaged high-voltage equipment near the car park.

Members of the public have been told to avoid the area as firefighters remained there to ‘dampen down hotspots’.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue said its teams were ‘hoping’ to leave later today. 

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The aftermath shows the burnt out shells of cars 

Fire crews battled a large fire near Gatwick Airport on Saturday evening, after which a man was arrested on suspicion of arson

The 67-year-old man has been bailed as an investigation continues, police said

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Around 100 cars are believed to have been burned during the fire at a car park mainly used for travellers heading to Gatwick, it is understood

There were no casualties from the fire.

A London Gatwick spokesman told the Daily Mail: ‘We are aware of a fire at an unaffiliated third-party car parking site, which occurred on Saturday evening, and understand how concerning and distressing this will be for any passengers whose vehicles may have been affected.

‘We are advising any passengers who are concerned that their vehicle might have been affected to call the police on 101.

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‘The parking company is not endorsed or operated by London Gatwick.’

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue said: ‘On Saturday (22 August) at 8.56pm we were alerted to fire at Wallage Lane in Rowfant.

‘Crews have been at the scene since the initial 999 call, responding to a significant and complex fire involving a workshop, vehicles (including electric and heavy goods vehicles), and cylinders.

‘Approximately 140 vehicles were damaged, and a number of the vehicles involved in this fire were parked at a site used for holiday parking. Any affected consumers are advised to contact their operator directly.

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‘On Saturday night local residents and nearby businesses experienced a temporary loss of electricity as an overhead power line needed to be isolated.

‘Vulnerable customers were supported by West Sussex County Council’s Resilience and Emergencies Team, and the electricity supply has since been restored.

‘Fire crews have been at the scene this morning (24 August) damping down hotspots, and we are hoping to leave the scene later on today.

‘Fortunately there were no casualties as a result of this fire.

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‘A joint fire investigation is now ongoing with Sussex Police. Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to report it online or call 101, quoting serial 1504 of 22/08.’

United will receive a small sum when academy graduate Willy Kambwala completes a move away from Villarreal before the transfer deadline.

Italian club Como are reportedly in pole position to sign Kambwala, looking set to beat Spanish side Osasuna to his signature. United will receive a small percentage of the fee Villarreal bank due to a sell-on clause.

United sources described the sell-on clause for Kambwala as “sizeable” when he left the club two years ago, but Villarreal are not expected to sell him to Como for a significant fee, which will limit the cut United will receive.

Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington all died instantly in the horrific crash on Saturday morning.

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Friends of the five young men killed in a head-on smash with a police car are planning balloon releases in their memory – including near the crash site.

Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington all died instantly in the horrific crash on Saturday morning.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38 – who were not in pursuit of their Volkswagen Passat – were also killed in the devastating collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough.

Memorial events for the five youths, who Cleveland Police have said may have had links to organised crime groups, have been announced for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at different locations, including in South Bank, close to where the horror unfolded, reports the Daily Star.

The force has also confirmed it has arrested nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, into alleged criminal activity before the crash.

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One message, dedicated to all five, said: “We all knew use [sic] and knew use [sic] had hearts of gold and most loyalist [sic] lads.”

Another social media message reads: “We have been made aware that there are two balloon releases taking place for two much loved young lads, Cole and Jacob. Both are happening at the same time and date.

“Please feel free to go to whichever one you would like to attend but if you can please take an extra balloon so both boys are remembered and both families feel your love and support.”

It adds: “There are also balloon releases arranged for Theo makai and Michael full details for each will be posted below this post so everyone is aware and can show their support for all five families.

“Five beautiful souls all gone too soon. All loved all missed all forever in our hearts.”

A balloon release in memory of Cole Worthy is due to take place at 5pm on Monday. At the same time, a memorial for Jakub Matusiak is due to be held in South Bank.

One for Theo Rae will take place at 6pm on Tuesday, balloons will be released in memory of Makai Saddington on Wednesday at 6pm, while Michael Ray will be remembered by the helium-filled tributes on Thursday.

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READ MORE: Joyrider branded ‘moron’ for driving car through busy city park in TikTok stunt

It comes as more than £250,000 has been raised for the families of the two police officers who died when the Passat crashed into their vehicle as it was travelling the wrong way on the dual carriageway.

A fundraiser created by the Cleveland Police Federation on Sunday reached £228,000 early on Monday. Organisers said funds raised would be split equally between the two officers’ families and the federation would continue to provide support.

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Services are running again, but travellers have been warned to expect delays or cancellations until around 5pm.

TransPennine Express said: “Train services running through these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled or delayed by up to 45 minutes. Disruption is expected until 17:00 24/08.”

Twelve people have been arrested by police probing a crash on the A66 which killed five joyriders and two police officers. 

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died early on Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough crashed head-on into their marked armed response vehicle. 

Nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, have now been arrested on suspicion of offences ranging from possession of a firearm to participating in the activities of an organised crime group. 

Cleveland Police received several reports of the Volkswagen Passat being driven dangerously on Saturday. Separate reports involved a second car, a Volvo XC60, which was seen ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. 

Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were identified through the force’s automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system. 

The five young men in the VW, which had just been chased by other officers when the crash happened, all died and were named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23; Jacob Matusiak, 23; Makai Saddington, 18; Theo Rae, 17; and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.

Today, balloon releases will be held in memory of two of the joyriders, Worthy and Matusiak. Four of those killed in the VW had extensive criminal records, including convictions for offences such as drug offences, assault and robbery. 

Yesterday the Daily Mail revealed Saddington’s TikTok featured a string of videos appearing to show him in high-speed police chases.

One clip, filmed in May and set to rap music, showed the 18-year-old being driven in an Audi speeding through a housing estate while a police car with flashing blue lights followed behind. 

Another video on an account linked to him showed a green Nissan being driven around before it is set alight, while images posted elsewhere show him and a friend posing in cars wearing black balaclavas.

Police said there is no evidence to indicate that filming of the activities that took place on Friday night and Saturday morning happened for the purposes of TikTok. 

PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off. 

This morning it was reported that Saddington was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting police officers. 

A video from Matusiak’s TikTok profile appeared to show him driving recklessly with the caption: ‘Unfortunately I’m not a nonchalant boyfriend.’ 

Filmed by the driver, it showed a car barrelling through a neighbourhood before swerving onto a green in the middle of an estate.

The vehicle appeared to career down a footpath as the driver casually spun the wheel with one hand.

On Saturday night the pair had been fleeing from police with the three other men when they drove the wrong way down the A66 and smashed into the officers, who were not involved in the chase.

The police pursuit had been called off around ten seconds before the crash.

The Middlesbrough crash came less than a week after an incident in Co. Kildare, Ireland, when five teenagers died in a head-on crash while driving the wrong way down the M9.

A family in the other car – three women and a seven-year-old boy – were left seriously injured after the crash, when it is understood they were travelling to the airport to begin a holiday.

At least three of the teenagers had boasted online about driving the wrong way down motorways to evade police. 

Speaking in Kyiv today, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Government had urged TikTok and other platforms to remove videos which glorify dangerous driving.

Mr Burnham said those who share such videos are ‘doing something that’s truly reprehensible’.

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

Jacob Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW

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A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful and that is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy.’

More than half a million pounds has now been raised for the families of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough following their tragic deaths. 

A fundraiser created by the Cleveland Police Federation yesterday for the two officers’ families reached £487,000 today.

Organisers said funds raised would be split equally between the two officers’ families, and the federation would continue to provide support.

A second crowdfunder for the families, started by former Cleveland Police officer Paul Cooper, raised more than £36,000.

PC Blades was a married father-of-two and dedicated football coach in his spare time.

He had recently joined Seaton Carew FC as a coach and was looking forward to coaching his son in its under-sevens Seahawks squad, the club said.

The officer also coached his eldest son and other youngsters in FC Hartlepool’s under-10s Reds team, which described him as ‘a role model, a mentor, a friend and someone the children looked up to and admired’.

Today, balloon releases will be held in memory of Jakub Matusiak

Cole Worthy will also be commemorated with a balloon release

PC Blades’ wife described him as ‘our superhero’ and said: ‘He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.’

Meanwhile, former soldier PC Clough, 38, was described by his family as ‘our hero’ who was ‘always on public duty’.

They said he ‘jumped into action whenever needed and was willing to help anyone for any reason’.

The family statement added that he ‘proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place’.

It continued: ‘We, as a family, and Tom’s partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community.’

A man who knew PC Clough described him on social media as ‘a true friend, a fantastic soldier and, I have no doubt, an even better police officer’.

PC Clough’s commanding officer from his time serving with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield paid tribute to him as the ‘epitome of professionalism’, while also recalling his ‘fun-loving, cheeky nature’.

King Charles said the ultimate responsibility lies with the drivers themselves. Last year there were 947 cases reported of drivers going the wrong way on English motorways, he added. 

In the past 30 weeks, 31 people have been charged with wrong-way driving.

‘It perhaps happens a little more than than we would think,’ Charles said. 

‘There have been a couple of cases with very elderly drivers doing so, but many cases are to get those social media clicks. 

‘In other cases it’s people being caught in congestion or they’ve missed their exit and they’re fed up and they do a U-turn and go back up the hard shoulder to try and exit.’

What are solvable problems?

What are perpetual problems?

The group appears to have been based on Sunnyside Park, off Chelsea Street in Great Lever since around last Wednesday, August 19.

People living in the area say they have become concerned about how the Travellers appear to have entered illegally and about the length of time they have been there.

A resident said: “I think they arrived possibly Wednesday last week, I’ve tried to get hold of the council and the police but I’ve not had any response.”

She added: “They’ve literally trashed the place, they’ve left rubbish around the place, they’ve been litter.

A group of caravans and cars have been seen (Image: Public)

“If it was Moss Bank Park or Leverhulme Park they’d have acted about it a bit quicker than this!”

Images from the scene show a cluster of caravans and cars parked on the green space area on Sunnyside Park.

Sunnyside Park is a popular green space for families with young children and has recently been at the centre of plans for a new “community shop”.

This came after plans were approved back in April this year to turn the abandoned Sunnyside Community Centre into a new shop and café.

Earlier in August, Bolton Council announced that the community shop would be opening with the support of the authority itself and of bakery chain Warburton’s in September.

The shop will aim to offer vegetables and bread for only 20p and will also be the site of a new community café.

But the presence of the Traveller group over the last few days has alarmed residents about the safety of their children on the park.

Cllr Mohammed Ayub, of Great Lever, said: “Obviously we’ll go through the correct legal process to deal with this.

“I think it’s a shame these people have chosen this site where we are developing the Sunnyside Community Shop.

“We’ve working together very closely to open the shop on September 16 so we need to make sure the site is cleaned out.”

Bolton Council have said that they are aware about the Traveller group on Sunnyside Park and are taking the appropriate legal steps to move them on.

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation and will be going through the appropriate legal process.”